Find out how popular the last name Altura is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Altura.

Altura, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Altura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Altura in America

Altura is the 122314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Altura surname appeared 141 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Altura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Altura to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Altura

The surname Altura has its origins in Spain, believed to have emerged during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "altura," which translates to "height" or "elevation." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals residing in areas of higher terrain or might have been a descriptive surname given to someone of tall stature.

The earliest known records of the Altura name can be traced back to the 13th century in regions such as Castile and Aragon. It is possible that the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to specific places or settlements with the word "altura" in their names, such as Alta Vista or Altura del Mar.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Altura was Rodrigo de Altura, a nobleman from Seville who lived in the late 14th century. He was known for his involvement in the Reconquista, the long-lasting conflict between Christian and Moorish forces on the Iberian Peninsula.

In the 16th century, Juan de Altura, a renowned Spanish explorer, played a significant role in the conquest of the Americas. Born in 1492 in Granada, he accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expeditions to Mexico and was part of the group that conquered the Aztec Empire.

During the Golden Age of Spanish literature, the poet and playwright Lope de Altura (1562-1635) gained recognition for his contributions to the Spanish Renaissance. His works, such as "El Caballero de Olmedo," are still studied and appreciated today.

In the 18th century, Catalina Altura (1715-1782) was a prominent figure in the Spanish silk trade. She established a successful silk manufacturing business in Valencia, which contributed significantly to the local economy and employed hundreds of workers.

Another notable individual with the Altura surname was Antonio Altura (1810-1886), a Spanish military officer and politician. He served as a general in the Spanish Army and later became the Minister of War under the reign of Queen Isabella II.

While the Altura surname originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonial expansion and migration. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula, where it was initially associated with geographic locations or physical characteristics.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Altura

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Altura.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Altura was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Altura has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Altura was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Altura, please contact us.

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